Mail and traveling bag fastening



G. ,WO0D, J1 Mail and Traveling Bag Fastening.

No. 231,639. Patented Aug. 24, I880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WOOD, JR, OF PIERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

MAIL AND TRAVELING BAG FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.231,639, dated August 24, 1880.

Application filed February 6, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W001), J r., of Piermont, Grafton county, and State of New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail and Traveling Bag Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to fastening-clasps used on mail, traveling, and other bags for like uses and the object of myinvention is to provide such an improved clasp for such bags that when it is fastened at a single point in the usual manner, by a padlock or other similar device, the clasp cannot be sprung apart on either side of said fastened point. 1 attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a plan view of the clasp opened. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing it partly opened. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing the clasp shut and locked. Fig. 4Lis a vertical section of the clasp when closed.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures.

In the drawings, A represents one of the pair of hinged clasps which is secured to one side of the open end of the bag, and B is the second clasp. The part A is constructed of the flat portion 0, and around its border is formed the flange a, bent, as shown, atright angles to the flat portion 0. The flange a is constructed a little wider at its lower ends,as

shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, to provide room at those points for cutting therein the oblong trunnion-slots i.

Against the front edge of the turned-over flange a above described is secured the plate I), in such a position as to lie over a portion of the face of plate 0, as shown, but sufficiently far removed from it to provide a space, 0, between said plates which will permit of sliding the outer edge of the clasp Bbetweeu the plates.

Clasps A and B are provided with perforations, as shown, to provide for riveting or otherwise securing them to the bag.

Clasp B is constructed with the trunnions w m secured to its lower ends, and the clasps A and B are hinged together by projecting the ends of said trunnions x- 00 through the oblong holes 4: in flange a, and when said clasps are so hinged they can be shot one against the other; and clasp B, having been so shut, can he slid on the face of clasp A so as to carry its upper border up under plate b into the space between the latter and plate 0. The oblong trunnion-holes i, in which the trunnions 00 w operate, provide for the said sliding movement of clasp B on clasp A.

The clasps and plate I) are perforated at a convenient point, as shown, for inserting the ring of a padlock through the same; or the clasps may be secured, after having been shut and slid into the said position, by any other convenient locking device.

It is obvious that when clasp B shall have been securely locked between. plates 1) and o, as above described, an unusually secure fastening is the result, for the outer edges of both clasps are completely protected against the insertion of any instrument for the purpose of prying them apart by flange a and the overlying plate I).

WVhat I claim as my invention is The clasp A, provided with the flange a and the plate I), in combination with the clasp B, adapted to swing and slide on said clasp A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE WOOD, JR.

Witnesses:

EDWIN J. FAcEY, WM. F. WESTGATE. 

